Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Who Would be Your Legends?

First of all, I watched Oprah's Legends last night, and I thought it was really fantastic. If you missed it, Oprah hosted a weekend long party honoring all of the still living African American women that paved the way in the arts, literature and politics for African Americans and women in general. It was quite moving. It led me to think; if I had the means to host something like that, and actually had the influence to get anyone I wanted to come, who would my Legends be?

Here is what I can come up with...
(and because I am dreaming, I am going dead and alive)


1. Alice Paul: Her story continues to inspire me to stand up for my political beliefs. She was one of the founders of the National Women's Party that made huge sacrifices to get the 19th Amendment passed. Check out "Iron Jawed Angels" if you are interested... GREAT MOVIE and pretty accurate to history.


2. Audrey Hepburn: Though I love her as an actress and she did inspire me to take that path earlier in my life, more importantly she dedicated her life to UNICEF to help children around the globe. She was very much the Angelina Jolie of her day.

3. My grandma: Despite growing up in the 1920s and 1930s, my grandma was raised with very progressive ideas. Being a woman didn't prevent her from standing up for what she believed in and making her own choices throughout her life. To this day, I can guarantee that if politics is ever mentioned, my grandma would have an opinion to share.



4. My mom and dad: My parents have always supported all of my endeavors, giving me confidence to take on whatever my heart guides me to undertake. This unfaltering support has led me down many paths sometimes successful and sometimes not, but always feeling assured in the attempt.

This is all that come to mind right now. I have a party with my mom, dad and grandma... But maybe I should take note and thank them. Maybe because of the sacrifices of so many in previous generations there seem to be fewer famous "legends" in my life. I will keep thinking of Legends that have shaped the person that I am...

And I would love you hear who your Legends might be!

7 comments:

Adam said...

I'll have to work on that one. Good idea though.

kendalljean said...

Thanks... yeah as soon as I started doing it, my mind went blank. Still working on my list.

timidvenus said...

mine would be everyone except oprah.


okay, really, i cant stand her, but i am in an extra-jack hole-ish mood today, so this is what you get...

m.wise said...

Let's see. I think I'd like to shape mine around exploration to do with world history because I daydream about what it must have been like to discover something grand. I'd like Christopher Columbus, Lewis and Clark, Magellen, DeGama, Cousteau and so on. Those are the first to come to mind.

kendalljean said...

I think I stand alone on appreciating Oprah, but I am okay with that.

Interesting Mike. So what is it about the explorers that shaped who you are and how you think? And if you do ever discover something new, please be nice to the indigenous people... unlike Mr. C.C. :)

edluv said...

damn, i was thinking exactly what sara said. and she beat me to the punch.

edluv said...

and i pick:
walter brueggeman
jim wallis
tony campolo
nt wright
brian mclaren
phyllis trible
edmund janzen
devon wiens
tom sine

these are a handful of the bible scholars i'd love to share a meal, and just listen to them talk off the cuff.

the artists i'd like to meet are a bit harder, mainly because they all seem to be dead.

there are some more still kicking around in my head.